------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DISCREPANCIES IN THE NUMBER OF ACCREDITORS AND INSTITUTION/PROGRAM RECORDS IN THE USDE DATABASE vs. THE CHEA DATABASE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Compiled November 2005 by Gregg L. DesElms
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"USDE" means the United States Department of Education. "CHEA" means the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, which is authorized by USDE to coordinate accreditation in the US.
Consulting the online institutional/program databases of these two entities is one way to determine if a given institution of higher learning, and/or its programs, is/are accredited.
The APPROVED column = whether the accreditor is approved by USDE, or CHEA, or both.
The CHEA column = the number of institution/program records contained in the CHEA database for the accreditor.
The USDE column = the number of institution/program records contained in the USDE database for the accreditor.
THE INITIALS column = the accreditor's identifying initials/acronym by which it is commonly known.
The NAME column = the full, official name of the accreditor and/or its accrediting committee, commission or council.
Three zeros (000) in the CHEA column means that the accreditor does not appear in the CHEA database at all.
Three zeros (000) in the USDE column means that the accreditor does not appear in the USDE database at all.
See, also, the "NOTES" section of this report, near its bottom.
=========================================================================================================================================================================================================================
REGIONAL ACCREDITORS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
APPROVED CHEA USDE INITIALS NAME
--------- ----- ----- ------------ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
USDE/CHEA 515 519 MSA-CHE Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Higher Education
USDE/CHEA 226 235 NEASC-CIHE New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education
USDE/CHEA 30 17 NEASC-CTCI New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Technical and Career Institutions
USDE only 139 110 NCA-CASI North Central Association, Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement, Board of Trustees
USDE/CHEA 992 1,176 NCA-HLC North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, The Higher Learning Commission
USDE/CHEA 153 160 NWCCU Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
USDE/CHEA 795 802 SACS Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
USDE/CHEA 183 176 WASC-ACCJC Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
USDE/CHEA 153 149 WASC-ACSCU Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities
--------- ----- ----- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL 3,186 3,344 The USDE database contains 158 (4.95%) more regionally-accredited institution/program records than does the CHEA database.
COUNT 9 9 The USDE database contains the same number of regional higher education accreditors as does the CHEA database.
=========================================================================================================================================================================================================================
=========================================================================================================================================================================================================================
NATIONAL ACCREDITORS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
APPROVED CHEA USDE INITIALS NAME
--------- ----- ----- ------------ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
USDE/CHEA 616 608 ACICS Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools
USDE/CHEA 59 60 AARTS Association of Advanced Rabbinical and Talmudic Schools, Accreditation Commission
USDE/CHEA 103 73 ABHE Association for Biblical Higher Education, Commission on Accreditation
USDE/CHEA 251 210 ATS Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada, Commission on Accrediting
USDE/CHEA 83 70 DETC Distance Education and Training Council, Accrediting Commission
USDE/CHEA 52 45 TRACS Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools, Accrediting Commission
--------- ----- ----- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL 1,164 1,066 The USDE database contains 98 (8.42%) fewer nationally-accredited institution/program records than does the CHEA database.
COUNT 6 6 The USDE database contains the same number of national higher education accreditors as does the CHEA database.
=========================================================================================================================================================================================================================
=========================================================================================================================================================================================================================
SPECIALIZED/PROFESSIONAL ACCREDITORS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
APPROVED CHEA USDE INITIALS NAME
--------- ----- ----- ------------ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHEA only 498 000 AACSB AACSB International - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
CHEA only 2,745 000 ABET Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
USDE only 57 48 ACAOM Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine
USDE only 179 230 ABHES Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools
USDE only 777 776 ACCSCT Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology
USDE only 225 112 ACCET Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training
USDE/CHEA 90 95 ACPE Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education
CHEA only 135 000 ARC-PA Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc.
CHEA only 105 000 ACEJMC Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications
USDE only 15 18 AALE American Academy for Liberal Education
USDE/CHEA 97 74 AAMFT/COAM American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, Commission on Accreditation for Marriage and Family Therapy Education
USDE/CHEA 95 96 AANA-CoA-NA American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs
USDE only 191 199 ABA American Bar Association, Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar
USDE/CHEA 55 58 ABFSE American Board of Funeral Service Education, Committee on Accreditation
USDE only 43 41 ACNM American College of Nurse-Midwives, Division of Accreditation
CHEA only 67 000 ACCE American Council for Construction Education
CHEA only 152 000 ACF American Culinary Federation, Inc., Accrediting Commission
USDE only 1,347 543 ADA American Dental Association, Commission on Dental Accreditation
USDE/CHEA 604 293 CADE-ADA American Dietetic Association, Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education
CHEA only 73 000 PAB American Institute of Certified Planners/Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning, Planning Accreditation Board
CHEA only 57 000 ALA-CoA American Library Association, Committee on Accreditation
USDE/CHEA 284 284 AOTA-ACOTE American Occupational Therapy Association, Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education
USDE/CHEA 23 20 AOA-ACOE American Optometric Association, Accreditation Council on Optometric Education
USDE only 000 20 AOA-COCA American Osteopathic Association, Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation
USDE/CHEA 427 413 APTA-CAPTE American Physical Therapy Association, Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education
USDE/CHEA 7 7 APMA-CPME American Podiatric Medical Association, Council on Podiatric Medical Education
USDE/CHEA 852 238 APA-CoA American Psychological Association, Committee on Accreditation
CHEA only 59 000 ASLA-LAAB American Society of Landscape Architects, Landscape Architectural Accreditation Board
USDE/CHEA 339 244 ASHA American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology
USDE/CHEA 38 29 AVMA American Veterinary Medical Association, Division of Education and Research
USDE only 350 54 ACPE Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc., Accreditation Commission
CHEA only 391 000 ACBSP Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs
CHEA only 2,063 000 CCCHEP Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
USDE/CHEA 70 67 CAHME-ACEHSA Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education, Formerly Accrediting Commission on Education for Health Services Administration
USDE/CHEA 378 413 CCNE Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
USDE only 49 49 CEA Commission on English Language Program Accreditation
USDE only 77 63 COMTA Commission on Massage Therapy Accreditation
USDE only 000 27 COA Commission on Opticianry Accreditation
CHEA only 463 000 CACREP Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs
CHEA only 24 000 CAA Council on Aviation Accreditation (CAA)
USDE/CHEA 17 17 CCE Council on Chiropractic Education, Commission on Accreditation
USDE only 93 100 CEPH Council on Education for Public Health
USDE only 000 3 CONE Council on Naturopathic Medical Education
USDE only 564 480 COE Council on Occupational Education
CHEA only 98 98 CORE Council on Rehabilitation Education, Commission on Standards and Accreditation
CHEA only 609 000 CSWE Council on Social Work Education, Commission on Accreditation
CHEA only 135 000 FIDER Foundation for Interior Design Education Research
USDE/CHEA 665 646 JRCERT Joint Review Committee on Education Programs in Radiologic Technology
USDE/CHEA 98 104 JRCNMT Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Nuclear Medicine Technology
USDE only 12 12 MEAC Midwifery Education Accreditation Council
USDE only 000 128 LCME Liaison Committee on Medical Education
USDE only 92 94 MACTE Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education, MACTE Commission
USDE/CHEA 472 000 NAACLS National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences
USDE only 1,014 1,021 NAACAS National Accrediting Commission of Cosmetology Arts and Sciences
CHEA only 425 000 NAIT National Association of Industrial Technology
USDE only 5 6 NPWH National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health, Council on Accreditation
USDE only 000 258 NASAD-CoA National Association of Schools of Art and Design, Commission on Accreditation
USDE only 000 58 NASD-CoA National Association of Schools of Dance, Commission on Accreditation
USDE only 000 602 NASM National Association of Schools of Music, Commission on Accreditation, Commission on Non-Degree-Granting Accreditation, Commission on Community/Junior College Accreditation
CHEA only 145 000 NASPAA-COPRA National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration, Commission on Peer Review and Accreditation
USDE only 000 146 NAST-CoA National Association of Schools of Theatre, Commission on Accreditation
USDE/CHEA 655 619 NCATE National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
USDE/CHEA 1,285 1,092 NLNAC National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission, Inc.
CHEA only 100 000 NRPA/AALR National Recreation & Park Association/American Association for Leisure and Recreation, Council on Accreditation
USDE only 000 28 NYSED New York State Board of Regents, and the Commissioner of Education
CHEA only 48 000 SAF Society of American Foresters
CHEA only 9 9 TEAC Teacher Education Accreditation Council, Accreditation Committee
--------- ------ ----- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL 20,042 10,032 The USDE database contains 10,010 (49.95%) fewer specialized/professionally-accredited institution/program records than does the CHEA database.
COUNT 58 47 The USDE database contains a net of 11 (20.75%) fewer specialized/professional higher education accreditors than does the CHEA database.
The USDE database contains 9 specialized/professional higher education accreditors which are not contained in the CHEA database.
The CHEA database contains 20 specialized/professional higher education accreditors which are not contained in the USDE database.
The CHEA database shows 1 specialized/professional higher education accreditor (NAACLS) as being both CHEA and USDE approved, yet there is no listing for it in the USDE database.
=========================================================================================================================================================================================================================
=========================================================================================================================================================================================================================
GRAND TOTALS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TYPE CHEA USDE
--------- ----- -----
Regional 3,186 3,344 The USDE database contains 158 (4.95%) more regionally-accredited institution/program records than does the CHEA database.
National 1,164 1,066 The USDE database contains 98 (8.42%) fewer nationally-accredited institution/program records than does the CHEA database.
Spec/Pro 20,042 10,032 The USDE database contains 10,010 (49.95%) fewer specialized/professionally-accredited institution/program records than does the CHEA database.
--------- ------ ------ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL 24,392 14,442 The USDE database contains a net of 9,950 (40.79%) fewer accredited institution/program records than does the CHEA database.
COUNT 73 62 The USDE database contains a net of 11 (15.07%) fewer higher education accreditors (and their institution/program records) than does the CHEA database.
The USDE database contains 9 higher education accreditors (and their institution/program records) which are not contained in the CHEA database.
The CHEA database contains 20 higher education accreditors (and their institution/program records) which are not contained in the USDE database.
The CHEA database shows 1 higher education accreditor as being both CHEA and USDE approved, yet there is no listing for it in the USDE database.
=========================================================================================================================================================================================================================
=========================================================================================================================================================================================================================
NOTES
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. The CHEA database is on the web at http://chea.org/search/search.asp
2. The USDE database is on the web at http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/Search.asp
3. Categorization differs from database to database. CHEA's "national" and "specialized/professional" accreditors are lumped together as "national" accreditors in the USDE database.
4. This report was compiled on 11/23/2005; therefore, the information contained herein may only be considered accurate as of that date. That said, the data doesn't change often, and is probably reliable thereafter.
5. It is possible for an accreditor to be in the CHEA database, but not in the CHEA directory of recognized organizations at http://chea.org/Directories/index.asp
6. This text file (as a web page) is referenced in a thread in the forums on the DegreeInfo web site at http://forums.degreeinfo.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=22450
7. The author of this report, Gregg L. DesElms, may be contacted by email at gregg@greggdeselms.com or by telephone, toll-free in the US, at 1-877-383-5148.
8. No accreditors were injured in the making of this report. Monitoring by: ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Accreditors) (just kiddin' around)
=========================================================================================================================================================================================================================